Sisi, Patriarch Gregorios III talk interfaith dialogue

CAIRO: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi discussed interfaith issues Monday with the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Alexandria and Jerusalem and of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church Gregorios III Laham, said Egyptian Presidential Spokesperson Alaa Youssef in a statement.

“Sisi and Gregorios III […] discussed means to promote interfaith dialogue and tolerance at this critical phase to reinforce the values of accepting the other. This is in addition to building on the common values that religions share and supporting efforts to counter extremist thought,” Youssef added.

Patriarch Gregorios III conveyed the Pope of the Vatican’s greetings to Sisi, saying the Pope acknowledged the political and economic progress of Egypt, Youssef noted.

“Sisi noted that Egypt is keen on upholding the values of love, tolerance and collaboration with different religions. He asserted that the teachings of Islam call for practicing righteousness and piety and abandoning transgression. The president emphasized that the acts of killing and terrorism carried out by extremist groups is a flagrant violation of the teachings of Islam,” Youssef continued.